


The Importance of Pies and Hunting Cases

by ItsJina



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 9.06, Coda, Confused Castiel, Ficlet, Fluff, M/M, Makeup, Miscommunication, Season 9
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 08:18:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3127595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsJina/pseuds/ItsJina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>9.06 coda, in a way//<br/>Cas is surprised by Dean's appearance at Gas-n-Sip multiple times.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Importance of Pies and Hunting Cases

**Author's Note:**

> From my Tumblr

If Cas was surprised to see Dean that first time he appeared at Gas-n-Sip to handle the Rita Zien case, imagine how he felt seeing Dean a week later.

Cas was rendered speechless just like the first time. He really hadn’t expect to see Dean so soon, who was grinning at him so hard that the corner of his eyes were crinkling. “Dean? What are you doing here?”

 

Dean rolled his eyes, huffed, and his smile was gone. “You don’t know how to say hello anymore or what?”

"Hello. Now, what are you doing here?"

"A possible case in Washington. Thought I’d stop by and see how you’re doing." There it was again, that beaming smile.

Cas squinted at him. “I’m fine. It’s only been a week, Dean.”

"Well yeah, but a lot can happen in a week."

Cas stared at him a little longer and it’s times like these where he wished he still had his powers, when he could peer into Dean’s soul, when he could read what was on his mind easily. Now, all he had to go off of was this bright smile and Dean moving his fingers and shifting on his feet restlessly. Whatever Dean was doing here, he wasn’t going to say it directly.

So Cas sighed and said, “Well, I’m doing fine. I’m still a sales associate. I am babysitting more for Nora now. In fact, tonight. Her busted date came back and apologized and wanted to try again.”

Dean nodded. “Too bad for you then, hmm?”

Cas shrugged and moved away from the counter to check on the boxes by the aisle. “Nora is a good person. She deserves every chance of happiness.”

"Hmm."

Cas glanced to him and frowned before continuing his work. Dean was no longer smiling and his lips were pressed together tightly. Dean’s mood swings were something that Cas never could keep up with. Maybe now as human, he’ll learn eventually what that pensive expression meant.

A moment later, he saw Dean moving towards the door.

"See ya, Cas."

He was gone before Cas could say goodbye.

—

It was two weeks later after Cas had just finished cleaning up the men’s room when he stumbled upon Dean leaning against the counter on his side, waiting. A brief surprise—and a relief—overcame him before he greeted Dean, “Hello.”

If it was possible for Dean to smile harder, then that’s what Dean did. “You said hello.”

"Why are you—"

"A case in Oregon. Stopped by—"

"To see how I’m doing. Got it," Cas said and moved to behind the counter. He deliberately avoided Dean’s eyes but Dean wouldn’t have any of it, asking, "Hey, what’s with that look?"

He has barely begun to grasp human emotions but he recognized the one he had as irritation. Having always been relatively blunt, “Dean, I’m not a baby. I can take care of myself.”

When Dean looked at him, confused, he clarified, “You don’t need to check up on me all the time.” In fact, Dean could just call him. He didn’t understand why Dean needed to come here. Wouldn’t it just bring attention to the place?

Hearing that, Dean stepped back and Cas saw a flash of hurt before it was gone, replaced by a cold poker face. “Yeah, yeah, okay.”

Without even saying goodbye, he was out the door before Cas could feel guilty. Even if Cas did, he refused to cave in. After all, Dean was the one who said he couldn’t stay in the bunker; Cas was now just trying to learn to live without his support system.

—

Another week passed by before Dean surprised him in the men’s restroom.

"Dean!" Luckily, he had just finished relieving himself or else he would’ve had to clean up the mess.

Dean was grinning as he washed his hands and that smile followed him out of of the restroom to the counter.

Before Cas could ask, Dean pushed a bag to him—not a Gas-n-Sip bag, he noticed. “Here.”

"What is it?" Cas looked at it warily before he peeled the bag apart. He pulled out whatever it was out and through the transparent plastic, he realized it was pie. "Pie?"

"Cherry pie," Dean corrected him and he leaned on the counter and pointed at it. "Best one in Idaho, I hear."

Cas looked at him and he now realized Dean’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. If Cas was right, he looked anxious and hopeful at the same time. 

"Was there a case on your way here?" Cas asked and put the pie back in the bag.

"You’re not gonna eat it?" Dean asked and his voice sounded a pitch higher.

"I’m working right now, Dean." 

"So?"

"Eating on the job is not good working behavior."

Dean grimaced, looked down and his fist thumped the counter quietly, “Fine.”

"I’ll eat it later."

Dean’s head whipped up and he looked surprised, his mouth opening and closing, before he was grinning widely again. “Good.”

"I know a peace offering when I see it."

Dean coughed loudly and looked away, “Mmmhmm.”

"You didn’t answer my question."

Dean glanced to him and Cas repeated, “Was there a case?”

Dean mumbled and fumbled with his hands.

"Dean?"

"Maybe. Still checking it out."

"You came out here on a ‘maybe’?" Cas pulled out his phone and looked to see if he had any missed calls. "You could’ve called me. I would’ve checked it out for you. You didn’t have to come out all this way."

Cas kept his eyes on Dean and that seemed to make him uncomfortable as his hand rubbed the back of his neck until he finally said quietly, “I thought it was important to come out here. Make sure everything was good.”

He was still new at understanding humans and their interactions and ways but he wondered if Dean was implying at something else.

Cas smiled just a little bit. “Well, what do you think about it so far? Was it worth the trip?”

The softest look emerged on Dean’s face as he looked at Cas for a long moment before saying clearly, “Yeah. It was worth it.”


End file.
